Re: Greg's Deflation

From: Mikael Raaterova <ginijji_at_...>
Date: Sun, 10 Sep 2000 00:00:06 +0200


> >>Arbitrarily choosing lower numbers, and then claiming the original
>>>is inflated seems a bit of a self fulfilling prophecy.
>
>Mikael:
>>What then do you call it when Greg arbitrarily chooses higher numbers
>>and then claims the original is deflated (or words to that effect)?
>
>Well, whichever the game mechanics bear out, was right. The current scale
>works.

As did the original.

>Reducing the numbers requires fudges like people with a skill of 12
>or more not having to roll.

Not true.

Listed numbers and the rolls are intended for extraordinary/dramatic stuff. If you bother with routine rolls, you should get a hefty bonus. I also note Robin's message to this effect (subject: "Bob's Bisonburgers [...]"); i don't think i'm too far off in my interpretation. (That Greg has managed to misinterpret the mechanics is a sorry fact, but since he admits to always being wroing, we can happily ignore Greg on this.)

Taking this from a more sociological perspective, with the above in mind:

Glorantha doesn't have the vocational differentiation of the RW; gloranthans don't have very specialized competencies. In our (western) world, making clothes is a specialized competence that isn't very common. Cooking food is fast becoming a specialized competence; the proportion of the population that can cook themselves a nice dinner from scratch is decreasing.

Gloranthans are generalists. They can make most of the stuff they need for survival themselves. Under ordinary circumstances a farmer can make a usable plow or sew himself some clothes (unless that is a sex-differentiated competence). These competencies are probably at base chance, i.e. 6, in published HW.

If we go by the proposed succ/fail frequencies (unopposed roll), about 70% are unable to craft a new plow when the old one breaks, and have to buy/borrow one from the lucky other 30%. This simply isn't the case. Under ordinary circumstances, i'd say that at least 80% of heortling farmers can make a new plow for themselves.

So (assuming that listed numbers are for non-ordinary situations) when you aren't unduly short of time or resources and the circumstances aren't particularly adverse you should get at least +10 to your listed ratings. Meaning that a rating of 12 never fumbles under ordinary circumstances, making the roll pretty unnecessary since there is only a 5% risk of failure and 0% for fumble.

(You can also go another route and interpret the consequences of "ordinary rolls" according to the expected result. This may of course be construed as being inconsistent, and thus not a good option for all narrators).

Conclusion: i'm perfectly happy to have "basic competence" at 12 or so. So should Greg.

-- 
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Mikael Raaterova        [.sig omitted on legal advice]

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